Meredith
by McGrey'sAnatomy
Summary: Derek has to baby sit Meredith and despite his protests when his sister asks him to do it for her, he has a few important things to learn from the 5-year-old. short story
1. Chapter 1

It sucked for Derek to be 15 and single boy between 4 sisters.

"I don't think so!" he vehemently shook his head and took a step aside to leave the room.

Nancy and Anna blocked his way. They were taller than he was and having the smallest room in the house, Derek was trapped in there.

"Just this time, Derek," Nancy asked.

"We never asked you for anything," Anna added.

"Should I..." he wanted to remind them.

"No!" Anna and Nancy answered together. "This is a special favor."

"No," he stayed with his first answer.

Nancy narrowed her eyes. "We won't pay you. You're doing this because you're our brother and because we're your sisters. And we should help each other."

"You didn't help me when I asked you to help me invite Esther out," he replied.

Nancy and Anna snickered.

"She's out of your league."

"No." he answered to their favor. "Help me invite Esther out."

"Derek," Anna sighed. "Esther will never accept this. I can ask... Laura if she wants to go out with you."

"She chews her hair!" he looked disgusted. "I don't want to go out with her. Yesterday she came to school with pink hair!"

"Derek, you need to be realistic. Who else would go out with you?" Nancy mocked him.

"No." he answered again.

"Come on, Derek!" Anna started to plead.

"No."

"Just for an hour or two."

"No."

"Derek!" Anna pled more.

"Esther or 'no'." He was still firm with his answer.

Anna and Nancy looked at each other and nodded understandingly as if they were mutually communicating.

Nancy turned to Derek. "I can tell you what time she walks her dog."

Derek wasn't thrilled with the deal but he knew it was better than nothing. "Fine."

"Finally!" the girls breathed with relief.

"We'll take you there when we're ready to leave," Nancy told him and, as their problem had been solved, they turned around and left, not bugging him anymore.

---

"It's very nice of you to help your sisters," Carolyn Shepherd said to her son.

"Yeah," he grumbled, leaned over the kitchen counter.

"I am sure they'll return the favor," she reassured him.

"They'd better."

"I will be across the street, so you can call me if you need anything."

"Why don't you go to her, then?"

"Because I have dinner to cook and later to get ready for work. I don't have time to watch a 5 year old."

"But admit it..." Derek argued. "It's not fair what they're doing. It's Nancy's job to baby sit Meredith. Mrs. Grey even pays her."

"This is her prom night, Derek. Your dad brings Kathleen and Amalia from grandma just tomorrow night."

Derek snorted, still pissed with the service he had been asked to do.

Derek never liked his neighbor's house. He had witnessed to Mr. Grey's scandalous departure, children ignored the house for Halloween trick or treat and it was always quiet. Derek found it very depressing. He had never been inside and never was curious about it either. His sisters had told it wasn't out of ordinary.

He took a deep breath and knocked at the door.

_"In a minute!" _someone's voice answered to his knock. The door swung open and Mrs. Grey showed up, heavily breathing because of the hurry she was in. "Derek," she mumbled, while putting her other shoe on. "Meredith! Derek's here. You're going to stay with him for a little while!"

A shaky whimper was heard as the little girl ran to her mother. She stopped beside her, clutching on her mommy's skirt and looking at Derek. "Mommy?" she looked pleadingly at her.

Mrs. Grey bent to the little girl and told her, "I have an important dinner to attend, remember? You're going to be nice for Derek, ok? I don't want to hear that you misbehaved." She stood up and turned to Derek. "She has dinner in the refrigerator. Do you know how to use the stove?"

Derek just nodded.

"Alright then." She took Meredith's hand to free herself from her grip and walked past Derek, outside.

"Mommy!" the girl whimpered and wanted to run outside after her.

"What you're doing?" she snapped at Derek while grabbing Meredith to push her back into the house. "Hold her and do not let her go outside."

Bewildered by how fast everything was happening, Derek managed to grab Meredith's shoulder and held her inside while he locked the door. He had expected resistance from the little girl, but her shoulders buckled under as she turned around and trailed her little feet back into the living room, muttering, "I don't like you."

Derek wanted to laugh. His sister had forgotten to mention how spoiled and rude Meredith was. He shook his head, cursing his sister for this evening.

He hadn't baby sitted before, but he had an idea what he was supposed to do; make sure the kid was staying safe. He followed Meredith into the living room and found her on the floor, bent over a coloring book. He wasn't curious what she was doing there and he wasn't in the mood for chatting either, so he crushed on the couch and took the remote control to surfe through channels. He made sure he was listening to Meredith's crayon as it drew on the paper, but otherwise he wasn't paying any other attention to her.

The flashing light of the VCR had his attention and switching the TV in the mode for video tapes, Derek found a recording of what looked like a surgery. Curious, he sat back and pressed play. It was for the first time Derek saw the inside of an OR and the real inside of a body.

At some point, while Derek had the maxim focus on the procedure, a thud was heard in the kitchen. Derek jumped up, alarmed, and looked around for Meredith. She was no longer in the same room with him.

"Meredith?" He called her.

No answer came from Meredith, but he could hear noise in the kitchen, and hurried in there. A metal jar was down on the floor and Meredith was on a chair, trying to climb upper on the counter.

"What are you doing?" he hurried to hold her back. He grabbed her by the waist, but Meredith protested, kicking with her feet. "Stop kicking!" he demanded. He took a step back to see what she was going to do. "Where are you trying to get?"

Meredith stopped a little and turned to him, pointing up to the cabinet. "Mommy has candies there," she told him. Then she turned her back on him, again, and leaned over the counter, trying to climb up.

"Let me get them for you," Derek offered, and took her by the waist to hold her.

"No," she whimpered and wriggled her tiny body to shake Derek's hands away. "Me."

Derek stepped back, again, this time decided to let her do her way. "You're stubborn."

"Uh-huh," Meredith accepted it.

"Stubborn is stupid, you know," he told her.

Meredith was up on the counter now. She turned around, her hands on her hips and frowning down at Derek. "You're stupid." Then she turned her back on him, again, and opened a cabinet. She took out a jar, giggling proudly as she held it craddled into her arms. She carefully put it down and then sat down next to it. She opened the jar and took out two candies. She kept one and the other one handed it to Derek.

"Thanks," Derek accepted the candy. Then he watched her standing up and putting the jar back on its place. "What are you doing?"

Meredith breathed heavily as she managed to leave the jar at its place. She shut the cabinet and opened her candy. She smiled down at him and sat down on the edge. Then she held her arms out to him.

"What?"

"I want down."

"Use the chair," Derek pointed to the chair she had used to climb up.

"I am scared," she muttered.

"Oh. Are you, really?"

Meredith nodded.

"Ugh!" Derek groaned. He walked to the counter and picked Meredith up, helping her get down. "Why all this effort for just one candy?" he asked her.

"Because I don't want to get sick," she answered, sucking her candy. "One candy my mommy says."

"Does she?" he smiled pitifully. "I think she lied to you."

Meredith gasped, frowning. "My mommy is smart!" she replied. "She's a doctor!"

"I didn't say she was stupid."

She gasped again. "You're stupid!" she retorted.

Derek rolled his eyes. He was smart enough not to argue foolishly with a 5-year-old. "Go and play. Do something. But stay out of trouble."

"Do you want to see my room?" she became suddenly excited. As his answer was late, she slowly started to pout.

"Ok. Let's see your room."

Meredith giggled and ran ahead, out of the kitchen, shouting: "Let's play with dolls."

"I don't think so," Derek muttered, but followed her, anyway.

Her room was like any other girl's room, Derek noticed. She had a few toys, each at its place, none left randomly, a few books on a shelf and furniture in the style of those he had seen at his sisters, too. While he stayedi in the doorway, observing details from her room, Meredith came back with a doll.

"Look!" she showed him, very proud, a anatomy Jane doll. "Her name is Jane. She's a patient."

Derek made a face as he looked at the doll. It didn't look much like the dolls he had seen to his sisters, fancy and dressed up.

"Here," she pushed the doll into his hands, encouraging him to take it. "You can play with her."

"I don't think..."

"We can play together," Meredith insisted. She let the doll fall, thinking that he might take it. Instead, it fell on the floor and a few pieces scattered around.

"Oh no," Derek immediately felt bad for breaking her doll.

Meredith let out a whimper as she knelt beside her doll, but it wasn't a whimper of disappointment or sadness. She picked all the pieces and the doll and ran to her bed. "She needs surgery!" she called to Derek, as serious as she could.

Derek smiled with distrust. And because he was just standing there, Meredith turned to him with a frown and her hands on her hips. "Don't smile!" she scolded. "You made her sick."

Her serious tone wiped Derek's smile off. He walked to the bed and stopped behind her, watching as she undressed her doll; just then, when he saw her abdominal cavity open, Derek realized what kind of doll that was.

"This is her liver," she told Derek. She cleaned the piece on her shirt and then looked carefully at it. "It's good now," she informed him and placed the liver into the cavity. She did the same thing with the rest of the pieces/organs, telling Derek the name of each of them.

"How do you know all these?"

Meredith rolled her eyes at him. "My mommy is a doctor. She showed me in a book. We have to close her her up. Do you want to do it?"

Derek hesitated a little, being rather ashamed of playing with doll, but as no friend or sister of him was around, his reputation was safe. Meredith gave him a rag and guided him throughout the procedure, which wasn't really much thing to do but roll the doll's abdomen in that rag.

"And you know what each organ does?" he asked.

Meredith winced and shook her head. "But mommy said I would be a doctor. I will know then. But I have a book. Do you want to see it?"

Her excitment managed to melt Derek a little; besides, she seemed to know some pretty interesting things; besides, her mother had a few surgery tapes, probably very interesting to watch. Anatomy was never one of his favorite sciences at school, but he started to have a different view over it now.

They lay together in bed with the book on Meredith's legs. It was an anatomy illustrated book for children they browsed together, Derek reading it and Meredith looking at the pictures and at Derek for his reaction.

"Derek?" she whispered, patting his arm. It was minutes later and Meredith was fussing restlessly beside him.

Derek looked at her.

"I am hungry," she told him.

Derek sighed and nodded. He put the book aside and got out of bed. "Let's see what you have in the refrigerator."

"Umm…" Meredith stayed behind, whimpering.

"What?"

Meredith made a face and said quietly, "I don't like mommy's food."

"But you have to eat it."

Meredith looked pleadingly at him.

"What do you want me to do? Cook for you?" he laughed.

Meredith giggled and bit her lip.

"I don't cook," he said.

"Nancy takes me to your house. Sometimes."

Derek nodded, remembering the evenings when Meredith joined them for dinner. "Let's go."

Even though he lived right across the street from Meredith, Derek made sure he put a jacket on her, before taking her out of the house.

He was stepping on the porch of his house when he realized that Meredith wasn't there with him. He spun around and found her on the opposite sidewalk, calmly watching him.

"What are you doing?" he asked her.

Meredith just held out one hand.

"Meredith, come on. Did you change your mind?"

The girl shook her head.

"Ugh," he groaned and crossed the street to go to her. "What's wrong with you?"

She looked up at him, with innocent eyes. "You have to hold my hand when I am on street."

Derek stared at her and wanted to laugh. "But it's evening and it barely passes a car on this street."

Meredith turned her head away and looked somewhere further on the street. The lights of a car could be seen appearing on the street, soon followed by the sound of the engine. They watched as the car flew on the street.

Meredith turned to stare at Derek.

Derek nodded understandingly and took her hand, holding it as they crossed the street. The door to his house opened and his mother appeared on the porch. "She's smarter than you, Derek," she shook her head with disapproval. "How could you even think to let her cross the street by herself?"

"I was with her," he frowned.

"You should be more careful with yourself, too," she warned him. "Good evening, Meredith," she smiled kindly at the girl, holding her hand to her.

"Hello," Meredith smiled sweetly, taking her hand and accepting the invitation in. "Derek and I did surgery," she told Mrs. Shepherd.

"Really? And did you save the patient?"

"Uh-huh. Yes, we did," Meredith answered. "Nancy doesn't like to play doctor with me," she stated sadly.

"But Derek does," she teasingly smiled at her son.

"Derek is nice," Meredith stated.

Derek rolled his eyes, acting indifferent. "Her mom is a doctor so she has a lot of medical stuff in there."

"You might have an option for college then," his mother pointed out. "Let's go into the kitchen, sweetie. I heard you're hungry."

Meredith nodded and took Mrs. Shepherd's hand. She looked back at Derek motioning him to follow them.

Derek was a little hungry, so he followed them into the kitchen.

"Are you and Derek having fun?" Carolyn Shepherd asked Meredith as she set up the table for dinner.

Meredith shrugged at first, a little insecure, but then nodded her head.

Mrs. Shepherd put a bowl of soup in front of her. "Derek, where's Mark? Is he coming for dinner?"

Derek shook his head. "His parents are home," he answered.

"Thank you," Meredith smiled politely as she was served. "Umm..." she wanted to say something, but didn't have the courage.

"What is it, Meredith?" Mrs. Shepherd asked her.

Meredith looked at the bowl as she muttered, "Don't tell mommy."

"I know," Mrs. Shephered gently touched her hair. "Don't worry about her. Eat."

Everyone sat at the table and ate in silence. Meredith was getting restless at some points and each time she was glancing at Derek, a gesture which Mrs. Shepherd noticed and smiled. It was obvious that Mrs. Shepherd had a good opinion on Meredith; she could criticize Mrs. Grey on some aspects, but she gave a good education to her daughter.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Mrs. Shepherd asked Meredith, trying this way to help her get into a conversation with Derek. She was ready to serve the desert so Meredith and Derek was sitting back in their chairs, doing nothing.

"I want to become a doctor. Like mommy," she answered. "And I want to get a puppy," she added.

"You have good chances to accomplish all these," Mrs. Shepherd encouraged her.

"And I won't go to bed," Meredith said, also.

"Oh, I think you will," she laughed.

"Seriously, mom. Like she knows what she wants at this age."

"You might be surprised, Derek," his mother answered knowingly.

"What do you want to be?" Meredith asked him.

"Me? I don't know, yet."

Meredith shook her head with disapproval. "I want to go to parties, too."

"So you want to be independent," Mrs. Shepherd.

Meredith looked at her, puzzled, "What's that?"

"It means that you want to have a job and do what you want."

"Yes," Meredith admitted with a firm nod. "Are you indepen...ment?"

"Independent," Mrs. Shepherd helped her.

"I... almost am," he glared at his mom for the topic she brought up. "I am done here. I am going to my room."

"No, you're not. You're going to take Meredith home and stay with until her mom comes back."

Derek didn't like it, but didn't argue. When Meredith was done with her dessert, he helped put the jacket on and went back to her house. At least he had found something interesting to do; watch Mrs. Grey's surgery tape. Meredith seemed to be understanding with him, too, because she let him stay in the couch and watch TV, without asking him anything.

Like a good host, Meredith walked slowly in the living room, carefully carrying two glasses with milk.

"One's for me?"

Meredith nodded and held them to him, so she could climb freely on the couch. She put her hand into the pocket of her pants and took out two candies, one for Derek and one for her.

"Did you climb on the counter again?" he accusingly looked at her.

Meredith bit her lip and nodded, guilty.

"Don't do that again, ok?"

"Yes," Meredith agreed silently. She took her glass of milk from Derek and they watched together her mother's tape.

Derek couldn't understand everything he watched on that tape, but it was still fascinating; that fascinating that he didn't realize when Meredith had fallen asleep beside him and nestled under his arm. He turned the TV off and slowly pulled his arm out. His job was over now. Meredith stirred a little when he stood up and Derek took her into his arms, easy as a flake, carrying her into her room.


	2. Dr Meredith Grey

It was another ordinary evening at the Shepherd's; family gathered around the table, discussing the events during the day, gossips and complains.

"I can't believe Meredith is moving," Nancy sighed as she played with the fork in her plate. "She was like… the best kid I ever watched for. Take the Nelson's little brat for example. I am not going to baby sit for them even if they pay me double."

"I think you would go for a double fee," her mother knew better.

Nancy shrugged her shoulders. "Ok. Maybe I would, but I wouldn't enjoy my time there."

"It will be silence around here without her," Derek mumbled something, more to himself.

Nancy laughed teasingly and elbowed him. "Someone will miss little Meredith more than the rest of us."

"She's 5, Nancy!" Derek made a face at his sister.

"Yes, but you two have become really good friends. I heard Mark is jealous of your new friendship," Anna teased him a little more and also teased Mark as she looked across the table.

Mark frowned at Anna, but didn't deny it. "It won't be that quiet, Derek. You'll still have 4 annoying sisters around."

"Meredith is unhappy about the moving," Nancy stated. "Why does her mother have to move with the job? You said she was earning pretty well over here."

"Meredith's mother is… a different type of mother," their mother tried to explain. "Besides, that's personal and not our business to discuss over dinner. Now eat and change the subject."

The subject changed and slowly the dinner was over.

Everyone was with its business when the doorbell rang and Mr. Shepherd went to answer the door. They saw Mrs. Grey stepping in the doorway.

"Mrs. Grey, what happened?" Mrs. Shepherd asked.

"Meredith. Have you seen Meredith? Is she here?"

Everyone gathered at the door as they heard that.

"Ellis," Mrs. Shepherd invited her in. "Meredith is not here. What happened?" she asked slowly.

Desperate, she ran her fingers through her blonde locks and sighed. "I can't find her. She hid somewhere and I can't find her."

"Because of the moving?" Mrs. Shepherd asked.

Ellis Grey nodded. "Ok," she sighed again. "I am sorry for disturbing you." Dazed she turned around and stepped outside on the porch.

Carolyn looked at her husband and he nodded.

"Are you sure she's not home?" she asked Ellis.

"She can fit in a suitcase, so…" Ellis shrugged her shoulders.

"We'll help you find her," Mr. Shepherd stated. "Nancy has been to your house so she can help you look there. Mark, Derek, go around our houses and see if she's hiding around. Carolyn and I will look out on the street and girls," he turned to his daughters, "you stay in. Maybe she shows up here."

"I hate this woman," Mark grumbled as they walked with the flashlights around Derek's house. "How can she be so selfish and do this to her child. She should consider what Meredith wants, too."

Derek stopped and looked at his friend, amused. Mark had never tried to speak to Meredith, but right now he was expressing a sincere concern for her.

"Ugh," he groaned, rolling his eyes at Derek's face. "I was just giving her as example. Some parents really suck."

Derek nodded, agreeing with him.

"She's not here, Derek," Mark said, looking tired.

"Mark, we barely looked..."

"No," Mark shook his head knowingly. "She can't be here, because she's afraid to cross the street without holding someone's hand. Remember?"

Derek started to laugh. Mark's denials were pure lies.

"Oh shut up. She's just a kid, so I am just as concerned as you are."

Derek smiled. "Let's look around, anyway. You know... I am not worried," he stated as they started to search each corner of the yard. "She's a smart girl and she knows how to stay out of trouble. Wherever she is, she is safe."

"Unless someone kidnapped her," Mark pointed out another possibilty.

Derek looked at him, horrified.

"What? It is possible, isn't it?"

Derek was staring at him, bewildered. He didn't want to think it could be that bad. "I am telling you, she's somewhere safe," he muttered, shaking his head.

"Who knows, maybe she's not that scared to cross the street alone. Maybe she was just looking for opportunities to hold hands with you," he smirked teasingly at his friend.

Derek rolled his eyes and went ahead. "I am going to ignore you, because you're becoming disgusting."

"It's something common," Mark shrugged and followed him. "Remember you had a crush on that girl that used to baby sit you and your sisters? I heard she has a kid, now."

Derek stopped and turned to Mark. "Can you stop talking? We're in the middle of something serious. We should start calling her instead of chattering."

"If she's hiding, she won't answer," Mark pointed out.

Derek groaned and walked ahead from his friend, again. "Meredith!" this time calling her name. "Meredith!"

"That's why I'll never have kids," Mark started chatting to himself now. "If I want a career, a kid shouldn't suffer for having me as dad."

Derek stopped and turned to his friend. "You don't even know what college you want to attend, so how do you know you'll have a career?"

"That's insulting," Mark made a face.

"But true," Derek replied. "It can't be that hard to have a family and a career. My parents have jobs and they still make time for 5 children. Ellis Grey is just a selfish woman and Meredith is unfortunate for having her as mother."

"Wow! Now you're angry." Mark was a little surprised with sound of despise in Derek's voice. "Let's see if they found her in the house," he suggested, already tired and cold.

Derek's parents were still down the street, talking to the neighbors and asking about Meredith. Useless, Derek thought, as Meredith wouldn't have gone to any of those people. Nancy must have been looking out the window because the door opened and she showed up in the doorway when he and Mark stepped on the porch. "Anything?" her voice trembling with fear.

Derek shook his head.

"Are you sure she's not hiding in a mouse hole or something?" Mark laughed.

Nancy disapproved his joke with a glare. "She's calling to the police," she muttered as she glanced back into the house. "She's really worried. Maybe this will give her a lesson and she'll consider Meredith's wishes from now on."

When their parents return with no news from Meredith, the three of them headed back to their house, leaving the grown-ups handle the situation. It was getting late and for most of them, Meredith was just the neighbor's daughter; only Nancy and Derek kept glancing out the window at the Grey's to see if anyone was coming with good news. Only when their parents returned home and sent them to bed, Nancy and Derek relaxed a little. Police was out looking for Meredith and as Derek told Nancy about his confidence on Meredith's safety and she agreed with him, Derek felt more confident.

He was tired, so as he lay down on bed, the sleep stole him away, peacefully and dreamlessly. But at some point, a soft moan started to disturb him; he wasn't dreaming, but he was sure he was hearing it into a dream. It sounded like the soft moan of a little girl; he was starting to dream about Meredith, he thought. Suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open and he was no longer sleeping. He was not even tired anymore.

The moan wasn't the start of a dream; it was real and it was in his room. He didn't want to panic, so he stayed still and listened, wanting to make sure. Something sounded like wiping under his bed and there was a moan, again.

"Meredith?" he asked and stood up right. He wasn't scared of the sound, though something or someone was under his bed. He knew it. He turned the reading light on and got off the bed. He knelt beside his bed and looked under it. Meredith was lying on her stomach and looking at him.

He sighed with relief. "Come here," he held out his hand to drag her out.

She put her cold hand in his and let him pull her outside. She knelt and then held on Derek to stand up. She sleepily rubbed her eyes.

"You've been here all this time?" Meredith nodded her head at his question. "Meredith," Derek sighed. As he picked her up to put her on his bed, Derek noticed how cold she was. She was in her pajamas only and her feet were bare.

Like nothing had happened and she was in her own room, Meredith crawled under Derek's blanket and closed her eyes. It was passed midnight, so the little girl was exhausted.

Derek hurried into his parents' room and gave them the news. Nancy came out of her room in the same time, sign she wasn't sleeping yet.

"What happened?" she asked Derek.

"Meredith is in my room," he answered and turned to his parents. "She was hiding under my bed," he explained them.

Carolyn looked at her husband. "She must have sneaked through the dog's window," she concluded and her husband agreed with a nod.

"I am going to tell her mother," he stated and let them go ahead in Derek's room.

"Meredith!" Nancy couldn't hide her worry anymore.

Meredith opened her eyes and struggled to sit up. "Nancy," her hand extended to her.

Nancy hurried to the bed and picked Meredith into her arms, sitting down with her on her lap.

"Are you ok, sweetie?" Carolyn asked softly.

"I am so... sleepy," she let a long yawn. She nestled closer in the crouch of Nancy's arms and closed her eyes. Nancy was gently brushing her hair. "I don't want to go," she sleepily muttered. Nancy looked up at her mom, but Carolyn couldn't assure her.

"At least we know she's safe now," her mother added comfortingly.

Nancy chuckled as she looked teasingly at her brother, "She sneaked under Derek's bed only."

Derek huffed. Nancy and her jokes. "I am sure she tried to hide under yours, but she couldn't make room because of the mess you hide there."

Carolyn laughed and shook her head with disapproval. "Now be quiet. Meredith is tired."

In that moment they heard the front door opening again and hurried steps climbing up the stairs.

"Meredith!" Ellis Grey sighed with relief at the sight of her daughter. She hurried over to the bed and crouched in front of Meredith. "Why did you run like that, Meredith?" she scolded, using her most gentle voice. "Never do that to me again."

Meredith looked down, guitly. "I don't want to go," she confessed quietly.

Ellis let out a sigh of frustration, this time. "Meredith, you don't have to want. You simply have to come with me," she tried to explain, not using the right words, but that was the best way she could do it.

Meredith's eyes filled with tears.

"Come here," Ellis stood up to pick her daughter. She could accept anything from Meredith but tears and tantrums with other people witnessing.

Once her mother took her from Nancy's arms, Meredith started to cry. "I don't want to go!" she wriggled her legs, kicking and trying to escape her mother. "I want to stay here. With Nancy!" she cried. "And Derek!"

"Meredith, stop crying," Ellis demanded. She smiled apologetically at Mrs. Shepherd, visibly embarrassed with Meredith's behavior. "You can't stay here. They're not your family. I am your family."

"No!" Meredith's crying was getting louder.

"Meredith," Carolyn cut in. "Sweetie, you have to go with her. She's your mommy. A little girl like you needs to stay with her mommy."

Meredith's tears were quieter for a moment as she listened to Mrs. Shepherd, but she didn't like that explanation either.

"Fine!" Ellis groaned, looking like she was caving.

Derek stared at Ellis, bewildered. That would be the first time Meredith gets to do her way.

Meredith stopped from crying and looked at her mommy, waiting to hear what she wanted.

"We're not leaving, but now we have to go home because it's late and you need to sleep. This is not your home, Meredith."

Meredith sniffed back her tears and ran the back of her hand over her face. Her tears were real; that wasn't a tantrum and everyone that knew Meredith, could confirm how fond the little girl was to the Shepherd's.

"I can play with Nancy tomorrow?" she asked quietly.

Her mother nodded her head. "Yes, you can. Now tell them good night."

Meredith ran a hand over her eyes and waved at Nancy and Derek.

"Good night, Meredith," Nancy sighed.

"I am sorry for this," Ellis apologized to Carolyn.

Carolyn just nodded and let Ellis go ahead, muttering behind, "We're sorry, too."

Derek sat back in his bed, exhausted, but content with how everything ended. He looked over to his sister and the look on her face killed his relief. "She lied to her," he realized.

"Ellis?" Nancy looked at him. "Yes, she did." She sighed and left Derek's room.

Later that night, when Derek was finally asleep, his closed eyes were blinded by a light. Light sleeper, Derek felt immediately the disturbance and rubbed his eyes as he awake. This was a long night, he thought, frustrated. His bed was facing the window and the position he had felt asleep on allowed the light to fall on his face. Derek heard movements outside and curiosity drew him out of bed, to the window.

Ellis' car had the engine on and a man was loading the trunk with suitcases. Derek rubbed his eyes again, trying to see if he could recognize that man. Useless as the lights of the car were shadowing the man's face. But he could recognize Ellis as she walked out of the house, carrying something onto her arms, and Derek easily guessed it was Meredith she was carrying. Meredith was going to be very unhappy when she would wake up in the morning in a plane or in an unfamiliar place. That made Derek feel pity for the little girl and made him almost sure that she would have an unfortunate childhood.

The door to the house was locked by the strange man and he was the last one to get into the car, too. The car quietly drove away, leaving behind darkness and silence.

Derek returned to his bed and set at the edge. He couldn't tell exactly how Meredith's childhood would be like, but he was sure she would turn into a great doctor. He told himself he would look for her when time would come, because he had to meet Dr. Meredith Grey.

---

_**N/A:**_ I am ending this here. It might not have been on everyone's like (I am not completely satisfied with the way I wrote it, either), but I had to try this type of fic and I hope you found it at least a little bit refreshing and different (which was actually my main purpose with this fic), I had ideas for at least 2 more chapters (when Derek was going meet Dr. Meredith Grey), but the lack of time makes stop here for the moment. Thank you for reading and reviewing.


	3. What if

**_n/a:_ I could not get my thoughts off this story, so I am going to add the rest of the chapters. I will be slow, because I am very slow these days. Here's chapter 3 when Derek meets young Meredith.**

**---**

She played with the empty glass, thoughtful with an elbow propped on the counter and her cheek cradled in her palm. She didn't want to be there. She didn't even know why she was there; the bride used to babysit her once, so what? She didn't even remember her that well. She let out a sigh and motioned for the bartender to refill her glass. As the gin poured into the glass, Meredith thought she shouldn't regret she was there. She couldn't remember much of her childhood in New York, but apparently there were people there that still remembered her and as she was up for a trip, a change of sight, anything not to spend the weekend in Boston with her mother, there she was in Los Angeles.

Instead of spending the weekend with her mother, Meredith chose to take part to a wedding in California. Nancy Shepherd used to babysit her and it seemed that she had been found of her; someone actually liked her; so she couldn't refuse her when they accidentally met 2 months ago.

After she interacted a little bit more with the bride at the bachelorette party, she managed to hide in the hotel's bar.

"A scotch," she heard a man's order as he came to sit at the bar, on the stool next to hers.

She peaked at him from the corner of her eyes and liked what she could see of him. A little flirting would be nice. Maybe she would have a good reason not to show up at the wedding tomorrow. She sipped from her glass, straightened her back and turned to the man beside her.

He looked hot; that she told herself the second she looked at him. Or rather hot hair, she reconsidered as she stared at his hair.

"Are you staring at my hair?" he asked her, sounding a little amused.

Immediately she turned back to the bar, embarrassed. She couldn't even flirt that evening. She was having a hard time, lately. She took a long sip from her glass and looked the other way.

She heard him chuckling.

"I used to cut it very short," he started talking to her. "But now I decided to let it grow a little longer. It's curled and difficult to arrange, so it might look weird."

Was he talking to her about his hair? Meredith burst into laugh.

"I know. Talking about my hair? Embarrassing," he admitted.

Meredith didn't look at him, but nodded her head.

"At least I made you smile," he continued. "So it may have been embarrassing, but it was a nice gesture, too."

Meredith just smiled and played with her glass. She was purposely ignoring him.

"You're ignoring me," he noticed. She heard him sigh. "I guess that's what happens when I start a conversation about my hair."

Meredith started to laugh.

"You know what's weird," he went on. "You were staring at my hair. You must have felt embarrassed, too, when I caught you."

She turned to him, smiling. "This is the worst flirting I've ever received. And I apologize if I offend you."

The man smiled charmingly. "I know," he admitted brightly. "I am still learning. Some people learn slower."

And there the conversation died. Apparently, she wasn't that good at flirting either.

He was sipping from his drink, she was sipping from hers, glancing at each other when the other wasn't looking.

"What do people do in LA when they're bored?" she found herself asking.

The man laughed. "I am not from here, but this is L.A. so…" he stopped. "…I have no idea," he finally admitted.

"Maybe getting bored together would be fun," she giggled. Then he was the one staring at her, with a smile on his face. "You're staring back."

The man shook his head, out of his thoughts. "Sorry." He held out his hand, "Derek," he introduced himself.

Meredith shook his hand, smiling, "Meredith."

"Meredith?!" he sounded surprised. "Really?" he chuckled as she confirmed with a nod.

"Why?" she asked, amused.

The man laughed and turned to the bar. "Nothing. I used to know a Meredith, long time ago," he answered.

"Ex-girlfriend?" Meredith asked him.

"No!" Derek shook his head, laughing. "She was a little girl."

"All of us have been little girls at the beginning," Meredith giggled. "I mean… I was. You were a little boy and… I should stop here," she smiled embarrassed of her ramble.

Derek chuckled. "That's cute."

Meredith just smiled and took a sip from her drink. The whole conversation was clumsy, but surprisingly, she was enjoying it.

He leaned closer to her and asked quietly, "Are you legal to be drinking?"

Meredith pulled back a little and smiled at him. "I didn't ask you about your retirement," she joked, because he looked older than her, indeed. "But I am legal. All 21," she answered.

"You're brand new, then," Derek laughed.

"Yeah…" Meredith laughed, too. "Let's stop here with the whole age thing."

Derek agreed with her. "Are you here alone?" he asked her.

Meredith nodded. "Visiting… a friend. You?"

"Oh, I have parents, sisters and friends with me," he nodded.

"Family reunion."

"Yeah."

"And you're getting bored alone?"

"No. I am doing it with you," he chuckled.

Meredith giggled.

"They're having parties of their own, around here," he continued.

The flirt was disastrous, but the conversation and Derek's company were pleasant, so she poured the drink down her throat and stood up. Maybe he was going to make a bad impression on her, but it didn't matter to Meredith, because she knew they would never see each other, again. She leaned her body against his arm and asked, "Do you want to go upstairs?"

He looked at her for a moment and then put a bill on the counter and walked together out of the bar.

---

A floral scent filled his nostrils as he woke up the next morning. Meredith was still sounding asleep beside him, her face turned from him, with her hair spread all over the pillow. Derek gently caressed a lock of her hair. He propped his head against his hand to look better at her. He wasn't that type of man to pick up women in a bar and take them to his room, but their poor flirt from the previous evening made him too easily accept her invitation to her room. He traced the line of her body gently with his fingers and then brushed the hair off her cheek.

She sighed soundly then and rolled onto her back.

Meredith giggled as she opened her eyes. "You're watching me sleep."

Derek smiled and nodded.

"That's a little creepy," she confessed.

"It's not my fault that you're pretty," he chuckled.

"That's creepier," she laughed.

Derek rolled his eyes. "You survived the night," he pointed out and leaned down for a kiss.

"I guess I did," a smile made her face glow. She stretched her body under the sheets and looked at the nightstand, asking, "What time is it?"

Derek looked on his nightstand, but remembered he had the watch at his wrist. As he checked the time, he also jumped upright. "I am going to be late!" he gasped.

"What time is it?" she asked, a little panicked as well.

"Almost 12," he looked at her.

The next second she jumped out of the bed, picking up a sheet to cover her body. "I am going to be late, too. Dress, shoes and I need to make up," she started babbling as she dizzily looked around the room. "Do I need to make up if I go to a wedding?" she asked Derek, very serious.

Derek chuckled. "It's a wedding. Maybe you'd like to look nice in the pictures." He answered. "But you don't need that much make-up," he added quickly.

She smiled at him. "Aren't you hurrying?" she reminded him.

"Yes!" he remembered and got out of the bed. "So you're going to a wedding, too?" he asked as he pulled his boxers on.

"Uh-huh,"

"Me, too," he said. "Do you need a ride? Are you going to make it there in time?"

"Oh that's fine. The wedding is here at the hotel."

Derek turned to look at her. "Here?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes."

"My sister's wedding is here," he stated.

Meredith stopped and turned to face him. "Is it?"

A wave of panic swept over and Derek stared at Meredith. Was she… "Are you…" he didn't even dare to put the question. But by the stare she returned, it seemed to be the answer he thought.

"Crap," she muttered, half stunned, half amused. "You're Nancy's Derek."

Derek just stared at her.

"So I slept with one of my babysitters?" Meredith asked, amused.

Derek made a slight grimace. "You're Meredith Grey," he muttered.

"I thought you liked that little Meredith," she said as she noticed the change of expression on his face.

"I had sex with little Meredith," he kept muttering and staring at her.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "You're dramatizing too much. I used to be little as well as you used to be a little boy once. Now you're a grown-up and I am… going to become one very soon, so don't make that face. You enjoyed it too."

"I…" Derek was too shocked for words, still. All he could do was to let a long sigh out.

"You know what…" said Meredith, visibly offended with Derek's attitude. "Leave. You're going to be late for your sister's wedding. I am sorry if I'm disgusting you."

Suddenly Derek felt sorry for his reaction. "Meredith…"

She held up her hand, stopping him. "It's fine. You're hurrying. I am hurrying, so… don't forget to put the pants on." She turned around and headed for the bathroom.

---

She was determined not to stay at the party. She would stay at the ceremony and leave after she would congratulate Nancy. She could have not come at all, Meredith considered as she stepped shyly into the small chapel.

Most of the guests had arrived and the place was full, already. She would sit somewhere in the back, where hopefully Derek wouldn't see her. She had no regrets for what had happened the previous night, but Derek's reaction was too weird and too offending.

Meredith sat down and waited as everyone gathered and found their seats. Her eyes scanned each person, hoping she wouldn't have to interact with anyone.

"Why are you hiding here?"

Meredith closed her eyes and prayed that the man wasn't talking to her. Useless, because she felt him sitting beside her, looking at her as she felt his breath against her face. She opened her eyes and put a polite smile on her face. He didn't look bad at all, his smug smile being the first thing she noticed at him; and he didn't seem to be older than Derek.

"I can find you a seat in the front," he offered. "You can't see much from here."

"I can hear though," she answered.

He narrowed his eyes as he suspiciously looked at her. "Were you invited?"

She giggled and bit her lip. "No," she lied.

He shook his head and then relaxed and smiled. "Is it fun to sneak on weddings?"

"No," she answered.

"You're mocking me," he cautiously watched her.

"No," she giggled.

"Who are you?" he asked, curious now. "I don't know you. And I know all their friends."

"I am not a friend," she answered. "Or relative. Or foster child. But I was invited."

He held his hand out. "Mark."

She giggled and shook his hand. "Meredith."

He pulled back a little, having a reaction similar to Derek's. "Really?" he chuckled.

"You're friend of Derek's, I assume," she smiled.

He stared at her in shock, with his mouth hanging open, speechless.

"I am not a ghost," she laughed. "You can ask Derek. He can confirm."

"You…" he cleared his throat and shifted his position. "You're _that_ Meredith."

"Am I a legend?" she asked.

"And you had sex with Derek?"

"You're smart," she noticed.

He opened his mouth again and remained speechless.

"Yeah…" she picked up her purse and stood up. "I think I am going to move. Outside."

"Wait!" he jumped quickly and stopped her. "Stay. You can't go. Sit with me. We can sit here and chat. Weddings are boring anyway," he pulled her back down, next to him. "Nancy said she had a surprise, but I wouldn't have thought about you. When did you arrive and when did you and Derek met and had sex?"

"I arrived yesterday; at the bachelorette party. I met Derek afterward."

"And you had sex."

"Oh you're obsessed," she laughed.

"Just shocked," he admitted.

Meredith found the whole situation very amusing. "Did Derek have a crush on me?" she asked Mark.

"No," he laughed. "You were little. But I think you might have had a crush on him."

Meredith giggled. "Really?"

Mark just shrugged her shoulders. "Don't you remember anything about the Shepherd's?"

"Not much," she admitted. "Almost nothing. I know I knew a Nancy once and when I was asking mom who was Nancy, she used to tell me she was a friend of mine. How old is Derek?" she asked, amused of the thought of having a crush on Derek when she was just a little girl."

"31," Mark answered. "And he's a doctor," he added, smirking.

"Is that supposed to impress me?" she giggled.

"I was just saying," he answered. "He's a doctor because of you. You inspired him."

"Me?" Meredith laughed.

"Yes. He had to babysit you once and you played dolls with him. You had an Anatomy Jane."

"I still have it."

"But you're teaching him anatomy on real body now," he smirked.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "You really are obsessed."

Mark just shrugged his shoulders.

"So he's a doctor because of me, huh? What kind of doctor?"

"He's a surgical resident. He hasn't made a decision over the specialization, yet. I know I want to become a Plastic surgeon."

"Oh so you're a doctor, too." then she remembered. "Nancy is a doctor."

"What can I say? You inspired us all. Actually, your mom's surgical tapes did it."

Meredith laughed, never imagining this kind of story.

"Did you graduate school?" he asked her.

Meredith smiled at him. "I am in the med school."

"Oh. Why am I not surprised," he laughed. "When you graduate, maybe we gather together and make a team."

"Maybe," she laughed.

They felt someone stopping beside them, glaring down at them.

"Derek!" Mark beamed. "Look who I found," he smirked at Meredith. "You didn't tell me she would come. Is she the reason you've been sulked all morning?"

"Was he?" she asked, looking at Derek.

"He's strange," Mark reassured.

"I noticed," she answered, still looking at Derek.

"Are you two together at the wedding?" Mark asked them.

"No," Meredith answered quickly. "I don't think I'll…"

"Then be my date," Mark offered before she could excuse herself from the party.

"Mark," Derek told his friend.

Meredith sensed a little jealousy and suddenly her plans changed. "Ok," she accepted his invitation.

"Great," he grinned and wrapped his arm around her.

"Just like that?" Derek asked her, nervous.

Meredith arched her brows and stated, "If you don't like me anymore…"

Derek folded his arms against his chest and glared down at them. "I did not say that. I was surprised." Then his shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. "You know what? I don't care. Do as you want."

"What's going on here?" Carolyn Shepherd asked. "Why are all sitting here in the back? Meredith, sweetie, come with me," she smiled and held her hand out for her. "We have seats in the front."

"I am good here," Meredith tried to excuse herself.

"Nonsense," Carolyn refused to listen to her. "Come," she insisted. "And you two behave yourself. Do not upset Meredith," she told Derek and Mark.

"I am not," Mark answered. "She's my date," he stated and took Meredith's hand as Carolyn led their way to the front rows.

Meredith glanced over her shoulder. Derek was still standing there, watching them with a glare. Good, he was jealous. Meredith smiled at Mark and walked together at the seats that Carolyn pointed for them.

"You're doing this to make Derek jealous?" Mark asked her, and by the tone in his voice, he didn't seem bothered by that idea.

"Yes," she admitted.

Mark smiled with an expression of understanding. He let go of her hand, but didn't let go of their plan of making Derek jealous. He started telling Meredith about the people before them and so Meredith found out what had happened to the rest of the Shepherd's. Time passed, she noticed as Mark started mentioning the first grandchild in their family, Anna's son.

Someone sat down at Meredith's left and she didn't have to look to know who that was.

People was settling at their seats, the murmur was dying slowly, the groom was nervously shifting at the altar, so the ceremony was about to start.

"I never imagined you would turn this way," Derek muttered.

Meredith's head jerked up, stunned with Derek's affirmation. She closed her eyes, suppressing the anger and replied, "If calling a whore makes you feel better, then do it. And for the record, you were the 2nd man I had slept with." She folded her arms against her chest and looked away.

Mark was staring at her as he overheard them.

Mark wasn't the only one that overheard them. Carolyn turned and looked at them. "We'll talk about this later. Now stop."

The music started to play and everyone stood up, waiting for the bride.

Meredith felt Derek's arm rubbing against hers and he whispered, "I am sorry."

Meredith sighed. He sounded sincere and she didn't want stay upset with him. She didn't want to be upset at all.

Their hands looked for each other and their fingers intertwined. As the bride walked into the church, they looked at each other and smiled.

She wanted to kiss him, so he kissed her.

**---**

"I don't like heels," Meredith whimpered as she walked out of the bathroom, dressed in some sweat pants and a ratty t-shirt.

Derek smiled, enjoying the view. She looked so natural and so beautiful. He patted the place beside him and she giggled as she crawled in bed.

"I didn't think I'd be the last one to leave the party," she laughed.

Derek stood up and knelt at Meredith's feet. He took her foot and started rubbing it softly. "It was a nice wedding."

Meredith smiled at him. Her face was glowing from all the smiling she had showed all evening. "Of course you say that. You had sex at your sister's wedding," she giggled.

Derek laughed and let go of her foot, not wanting to do anything else but kissing her.

"No!" Meredith protested, laughing. "Help my feet."

Derek laughed. "Ok, but you'll owe me."

Meredith rolled her eyes, smiling understandingly. "Did you have a crush on me when I was little?"

It was Derek's turn to roll his eyes. She wouldn't stop with that question. "No," he gave her the same answer as earlier. "Because you were too little."

Meredith huffed childishly.

"But if it makes you feel better," Derek added, smiling suggestively. "I might have a crush on you, now."

Meredith giggled. "I think I had a crush on you, when I was little," she confessed.

"And you still don't remember the night when you ran from home and hid under my bed?"

Meredith shook her head.

"But you think you had a crush on me."

"I hid under your bed," Meredith pointed out.

Derek chuckled. "It doesn't matter what was in the past; that you hid under my bed or that I used to babysit you. Let's get to nowadays."

He caressed her feet and then lay down beside her. She turned to him and their hands looked to intertwine their fingers again.

"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?" Derek asked, brushing her cheek.

Meredith nodded. "I am starting the exams."

"When can I see you again?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered quietly. "Maybe never."

Derek propped his head up on his hand and looked at her. "Why are you saying that?"

Meredith shrugged. "Do we have a relationship here?"

"I guess not," he answered after a brief hesitation. "But we can start one."

"Me in Boston and you in New York?"

Derek didn't like where the talk was going. "Don't you want to start…"

"I would love to," she didn't let him finish.

"But?"

"But I don't think we're ready for a long distance relationship. This day…" she propped herself up on her elbow, "…was great and I don't regret that I came here."

Though he didn't like it, Derek understood her point of view, and she was right. "But we can stay in touch. We'll exchange phone numbers and…" Meredith was shaking her head, already. "No?" he asked, visibly displeased.

"But we'll make a deal," she suggested. "If we ever meet again, then we would have to end our relationships-if we have any- and get married."

Derek looked at her, wondering if she was joking or if she was serious.

"I don't know, Derek. I care about you, but it's still too early for me to start something serious. And you're just getting started as surgeon and you need to focus on your career. You're not that ready either.

He gently stroked her cheek. "What if we'll never see each other?"

"Then we'll be each other's… special memory. But do you think we'll never see each other?" she asked, optimistic.

And her optimism was immediately passed to Derek, too. "We'll be doctors."

"You never know when our paths will crisscross again."

Derek put an arm around her and pulled her into him. She nestled into his arms and stood together in a perfect moment.

"I will miss you," she said quietly.

Derek cupped her cheek and made her look at him. "You have no idea." They sighed in unison and smiled at each other.

She flipped him onto his back and rolled on top of him. "We still have the rest of the night."

He brushed her hair out of her face and smiled. "Next time we'll be doing this, we'll be husband and wife."

"Ok," she giggled and leaned down, kissing him softly.

---

_**another n/a:**_ there's a petition going around, opened by a few MD fans, to have Patrick & Ellen in magazines again

together to represent the show. You can sign it at this link www. petol. org/ MerDer (delete the space or it won't work). Thanks!


	4. Comin' back

**N/A: Here's the end of this story. I could come up with a new fic, sequel to this one, but as you could see, I am not very active lately. I have a little troubled focusing on the writing. I hope you're going to like the ending and thank you for giving it a try in the first place.**

His visit in Seattle was supposed to be relaxing when his former Med School teacher invited him to observe a few surgeries, but starting to gain recognition as doctor, Derek spent a lot of time performing surgeries, also.

It was evening and he was late. He was in a bar with his good old friend Mark, trying to relax in their last evening spent there.

"I am so grateful for leaving tomorrow," Mark grumbled, sitting beside Derek at the bar. "They don't even need showers in their homes, in this town."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yes, but Dr. Kasey invited you here," he pointed it out as a big thing. And it was indeed a big thing for Dr. Kasey's former student.

Mark grinned. "Did I tell you that his daughter asked me to do a breast implant on her?"

"Mark!" Derek's head jerked up as he heard that. Mark liked to sleep with random girls, but their former teacher's daughter?

"I didn't even touch her," he replied. "She'll come to New York for a consult, though," he added, smiling smugly.

Derek laughed, shaking his head with disapproval.

"Meredith!"

Derek started as he heard someone calling that name. He turned around and tried to spot who was calling and to who. It was a young woman waving at someone, a blonde girl from the bar.

"Calm down," Mark stopped him when Derek wanted to stand up and go take a better look at that woman. "Do you have any idea how many people have this name? You need to relax with this Meredith crisis. It's been 4 years since your sister's wedding. Get over her."

"Do you want to stop?" Derek retorted.

"When was your last relationship that lasted longer than a month?"

"When was your last relationship that lasted longer than one night?" Derek asked back.

Mark rolled his eye. "I was just pointing that your crush/obsession, however you want to call it, it's not good for you. You need to move on."

"Shut up, Mark," Derek retorted, visibly annoyed.

The silence fell between them. Mark was trying to ignore Derek now, by looking after a brunette, while Derek was sipping from his drink. Derek was pissed with Mark, in that moment, although he knew he was right.

"You should have asked her for a phone number," Mark said, matter-of-factly this time.

Derek sighed. "It's not an obsession that I miss her sometime."

"How can you miss her when you barely spent 24 hours together?"

Derek shrugged his shoulders and sipped from his drink. "You wouldn't understand even if I try to explain it to you."

Mark chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Kasey didn't give me much credit either and yet he called me here for a visit," he pointed out."

"Fair," Derek admitted.

"Everything changed about you since you met Meredith; _young_ Meredith. You used to settle to one girl for years."

"It was just one girl," Derek replied.

"My point is, this is not you. What if you meet her again and after you find out more about her, you discover she's really not worth it?"

"I think she is worth it," Derek stated confidently.

"But what if?"

"Mark, have you ever experienced love at first sight?"

"_No_," he answered, what he considered Derek should have known already.

"Then you don't know what you're talking about and therefore, what advices to give. But I appreciate your concern."

Mark just nodded.

"The thing is… there's something about her," Derek started to say. "It's hard to define. It is frustrating, you know. And for the record, I am not thinking about her all the time. I am just curious…" he stopped as he turned to Mark and saw him smiling at that brunette. "You can go," Derek told him.

Mark smiled and patted his shoulder. "Take care." He stood up from the bar and moved over to the brunette, leaving Derek alone.

Derek let another sigh out and then finished his drink. He paid for it and it was time for him to go back to the hotel.

The evening was chill and the light was fading over the city. It was a long distance from the bar where Mark had taken him, to the hotel they had checked in, but Derek was ready for a long walk.

That must have been his most relaxing walk ever, because he didn't even notice when the dark had fallen. He stopped for a moment to look around and make sure that he was on the right road back. Cars were driving by; people were hurrying to their homes. Across the street someone's car was refusing to start.

Derek stopped briefly to watch the scene. He saw a woman coming out of the car, murmuring something, probably cursing her car. His first thought as he saw and heard her was crazy. He was tired, the street was loud and he needed to get his mind off Meredith. He was rarely thinking about her; he was still stirring each time he heard this name, but today, something was going on with him. He closed his eyes and shook his head, successfully clearing his thoughts.

Derek started to walk again and stopped when he got to the Elliot Bay. He leaned over the railing and watched the lights of a ferryboat as it floated away to its destination. He liked Seattle, with its rainy days, the bay and its ferryboat. It was a nice city to live in.

"I am not coming because my car died and now I have to walk."

Derek's attention was distracted from the sight when he heard that woman's voice. He glanced over his shoulder and recognized the petite stature of the woman whose car wasn't starting. As she walked past him, a floral scent filled the air around him, which Derek recognized immediately. That was Meredith's favorite scent; the lavender. Her voice, her hair, her stature, now Derek was either hallucinating or something unbelievable was about to happen.

He followed her, keeping a safe distance between them so she wouldn't get suspicious. Scaring a woman was the last thing he wanted to do. He could have stopped her and asked her name, but he didn't want to embarrass himself; he had done it enough in front of his friend. They had to reach in a place with more light and there he would see her face and see if it was Meredith indeed or his imagination was running wild today.

She turned on a secondary street and Derek stopped briefly, not sure if he should keep following her or not. Being a less populated street, the woman could easily sense his presence. He decided to go on, anyway. He was determined to stop her and see who she was.

As they walked on the quiet street, his palm became sweaty and his breathing raised.

At some point, she slowed down and looked over her shoulder. The next second she picked up the pace, faster than before. Then, Derek knew he had to do something. She was getting scared. The more she hurried, harder Derek tried to find the courage to call her.

She turned right on a street and disappeared from his sight.

Derek stopped then, confused. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. He was definitely going crazy and probably, he would spend the night in jail.

He decided not to follow her anymore. He was going to go to that corner and see if she was on that street and then he would turn back and go to the hotel.

The moment he turned right at the corner, something sharp hit his face, making him cover his face as response to the attack. Next, other hits followed, not having mercy of his head and arms. He was sure that at some point, a knee kicked him, too.

"Please… stop…" he managed to find his words.

"You perv!" she hit him again, harder this time and Derek felt it as an umbrella. "You thought you were going to get me."

"No…no…" he stepped back, trying to escape the hitting. "I was looking for someone." He said quickly.

"Right," and then her umbrella hit again, but Derek reacted faster and protected his face with his arms.

"Are you Meredith?" he asked.

Her hitting stopped then.

"By any coincidence?" he asked.

Looking up, he saw her staring at him. She walked under a street light and waited for him there. Then, Derek recognized her. It was Meredith, indeed.

He got closer and by the look on her face, she was recognizing him, too.

"Derek?"

Derek sighed with relief and then burst into laugh. "Thank God. If you were someone else, I would have spent the night in jail."

"Oh My God!" she exclaimed and took his hand while looking at his face. "I hurt you."

"It's fine," he didn't feel any pain anymore.

"Why didn't you just call my name? You had to stalk me?"

Derek smiled apologetically. "I am having a hard day."

"What are you doing here in Seattle?"

"With work. You?"

"I live here. Come with me. My car stop working, but we can walk."

"I know," Derek chuckled.

She stopped and turned to him. "What do you know?"

"About your car. I was there when it didn't want to start. Then I thought I saw you the first time."

She smiled and shook her head. "And you didn't stop to help a woman in trouble? Instead you're stalking one?"

"I uh… Yeah," Derek admitted, embarrassed. "I told you, I usually don't do such thing, but today…"

"It was fate," she concluded.

Derek looked at her and nodded. "Let's go back to your car and see if I can take a look at it."

"Ok," she smiled and they turned together on the street.

They walked side by side, now and then glancing at each other, but without saying anything. The silence felt comfortable, though. Derek was enjoying her company and she seemed to be excited with the accidental meeting, even with the scare he gave her.

"You have no idea what you're looking at? Don't you?" Meredith laughed while Derek tried to figure what the problem was.

Derek smiled embarrassed. "Everything looks fine here," he stated.

"Then why is it not working?"

Derek shrugged his shoulders and sighed as he looked down at the wires. He had no idea what could be wrong with her car.

"Try again," he suggested.

"I tried several times," she pointed.

"Try again," he suggested, having no other solution but sending the car to service.

Meredith decided to give it another try and after 2 roars, the engine came back to life.

They looked at each other, surprised.

"What did you do?" she asked him, coming out of the car.

Derek had no idea. He hadn't touched anything. "Maybe you had dirt somewhere," he pointed to the engine. "Or maybe it was just fate," he smiled at her. He shut the hood and turned to Meredith. He still could not believe he had before his eyes again. "I can believe you're right here in front of me."

Meredith laughed. "I know. This is a weird evening," she admitted. "Actually the whole day has been weird.

They stared at each other, in silence, for a moment, until Meredith shook her head. "Come. Do you need to get somewhere?"

"No," he answered convincingly.

"Ok," she smiled and invited him for a ride.

"You actually live here," Derek mused as they stood on the porch of a house, while Meredith was looking into her bag for the keys.

"Um… yes," she answered.

"How did you end up in Seattle? You lived in New York and then in Boston…"

Meredith smiled and next she opened the door. "It seems that I had lived here before New York, when my parents got married. They moved in New York because of my mom's job."

"Then you moved with your mom in Boston because of her job. Now you're here for her job, again?" he asked, slightly frustrated. It seemed that Ellis Grey hadn't changed at all. Since the night he saw her carrying a sleeping Meredith out of the house, Derek deeply disliked Ellis.

"You're feeling sorry for me. Again," Meredith noticed the wrinkles on his forehead. She smiled and took his hand, leading him in living room. "I don't have food, but I have bottled water and some beer," she didn't let him explain.

Derek smiled. "Water is fine. It fills the stomach."

Meredith giggled. "I haven't had much time to learn how to cook," she admitted.

"It doesn't require much time to learn how to make one meal. Do you live with your mom?" he asked, changing the subject.

"No," she answered.

Derek looked around him. "How can you afford…"

"I have roommates," she answered. "You've always been nosy," she added, laughing. "Sit," she pointed to the couch and left the room.

Derek sat down and relaxed. He looked around him; the living room looked clean; not neat, but he liked it anyway. On the coffee table were lying a set of video tapes and at its corner a vase with flowers horribly arranged. Derek chuckled to himself; but they smelled nice. He looked around, trying to spot any family photo and wasn't surprised to find none.

"I found a muffin," she stated as she walked back in. She had undressed her jacket and she was now carrying a first-aid kit and a plate with a muffin on it.

Derek started to laugh. "Thanks, but… no thanks."

"Oh," she looked at him, confused at first. "Is it because I said I found it?" she laughed. "It's safe. I have a roommate that cooks and bakes a lot so it cannot be that old," she said. "I think," she muttered, smelling it.

Derek nodded knowingly.

"Here," she ripped a piece and ate it. "It tastes good. You're missing a really great muffin."

Derek laughed and took the treat. "Are you going to play doctor with me? Because you've grown, from Anatomy Jane to real first-aid kit," he joked.

Meredith giggled and turned the lamp beside the couch on. In more light, she could see the damage her umbrella did to his face. "You look pretty messed up," she smiled apologetically.

His upper lip was scratched in a corner, as well as his right brow and his cheekbone was swollen, too.

"Does it hurt?" she asked him.

"It's nothing serious," he reassured her.

"Don't look in the mirror then," she advised him, joking. She put aside the kit and looked into her bag, from where she took a mirror out. "Sorry," she apologized.

Derek narrowed his eyes, amused, as he took the mirror. "Ouch!" he whimpered when he noticed the bruises on his face. "You've grown strong."

Meredith laughed. "I have to take care of myself," she admitted.

Derek put the mirror down and pulled away a little to look at Meredith. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

She looked up at him, smiled and then opened the kit. "I am married, actually. I have two kids, too."

Suddenly, Derek felt something in his throat. He chocked and started coughing. "Are you?" he barely made the sounds.

"No!" she started to laugh. "Who would marry me?" she joked. "Which reminds me… Should we go to the city hall now?" She asked, remembering the suggestion she had come up with, the last time they met.

Derek was staring at her. Her little joke was a little too much for him and he needed to recover from the shock. "I uh… I would marry you." He cleared his throat, regaining his voice. "And I don't think the city hall is still open at his hour, but… we can go tomorrow."

Meredith just smiled at him. "You don't have to."

"What if I want to?" he asked and offered her a piece from the muffin.

Meredith stopped and put the kit aside. "Did I scare you? Because I beat the crap out of you?" she asked, amused. She took the whole muffin and went to sit in a chair, across from Derek. She leaned back and crossed her legs as she nipped on the muffin.

They stood there in silence, Meredith finishing her muffin and Derek watching her.

"Come back with me in New York," he suggested.

Meredith looked up at him and smiled. "I can't; to give you a straight answer. Otherwise, you're a bit selfish, aren't you?"

Derek looked, confused.

"Stay here in Seattle, with me," she suggested back.

"But what I have in New York…"

"My mom is here and as worst as she was to me as mother, she's still my mother."

"What happened?" he asked sympathetically, because it was obvious that something serious was keeping her there.

"She has Alzheimer; late stage," she stated. She kept her calm smile on her face, but her eyes were reflecting the sadness she was carrying.

Derek sighed. "I am sorry."

"Now would you be the one moving here?" she asked, smiling teasingly.

Derek chuckled and patted the seat beside him. She moved from the chair, on the couch, beside him.

"How's everything going?" he asked her.

"Can you imagine?" she asked him back.

Derek allowed himself a brief moment and then nodded.

"There, you have the answer," she smiled. "Now please brag, because I know you're looking for it. I read about you."

As she tucked her feet beneath her, making herself comfortable on the couch, Meredith and Derek started talking about work; about Derek's surgeries, about her first year as surgical intern, about parents and siblings. Neither of them was paying close attention to what the other was saying; they were drinking water and they were having a blast in each other's company.

The sun shone upon her face, calling her to wake up. Her body ached as she stretched. She opened her eyes and noticed she was lying on the sofa, covered with a blanket. She rubbed her nose and tried to recall the last moments before she fell asleep.

Something fell on the kitchen floor and Meredith remembered Derek. She pushed the blanket aside and stretched her body as she trailed to the kitchen.

She stopped in the doorway and giggled. Derek was wearing an apron, making pancakes. The breakfast, along with the coffee, smelled delicious and her stomach felt it immediately.

Derek glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Morning."

"Hi," she answered, still smiling. "You're cooking."

"I am."

"And you're wearing an apron."

"I am," he chuckled.

"And you are not naked under your apron."

Derek turned around to look at her. "I am not. Should I have been?"

Meredith just laughed and waved her hand aimlessly.

"I should have been naked," Derek concluded.

"Never mind now," she laughed. She was amazed of how much she was smiling and laughing since last night when she ran into Derek on the streets of Seattle. She could control the laugher, but the smiling was impossible. Her cheeks were hurting and she could do nothing about it.

"Coffee?" he handed her a mug with steamy coffee.

She smiled and took the mug. "So, you're cooking breakfast for me. And we didn't even have sex."

Derek chuckled. "Actually I am cooking for both, because as delicious and plenty as the water was, it filled the bladder very fast."

"Do you have to leave today?" she asked him.

"Yes," he sighed. "Work is waiting for me in New York."

She sighed, too, and sat down at the table. She was hungry, but the thought of Derek leaving, again, was keeping her stomach empty. "Who is going to cook me breakfast from now on?" she asked, joking.

Derek brought the plate with pancakes at the table, where everything had been settled for breakfast, and sat down across from her. "I could send you pictures," he joked.

Meredith leaned to the counter and pulled a drawer open. She fumbled for a pen, with which she scrambled on a napkin.

"Call me. When you have time." She pushed the napkin to Derek.

Derek smiled and took it. "We're progressing."

"It's better to know when our paths will cross."

"Yes. That's a good idea. Who knows what you might do me next time," he laughed.

"Cry baby," she laughed, too. "When do you have to leave?"

Derek checked his watch, "In a few hours. I called Mark and asked him to pack my stuff and he will come to pick me up. As for the sex…" Derek grinned and glanced to his watch. "We still have time for a quick one."

Meredith considered that, but then she laughed and shook her head as no. "Better not. This way I might have a chance to see you again."

Derek looked confused at first, but then laughed. "I'd come back for sex."

"Wouldn't you?"

"I guess I would," he admitted.

"These are good," she moaned as she took a bite from his pancakes. "How can you cook like this?"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Derek chuckled.

"How come you're not married yet? A husband that cooks…"

"How come you didn't get married?" he asked back.

Meredith looked up and smiled at him. "I am younger than you, so you answer first."

Derek shrugged his shoulders.

"Exactly," she shrugged hers, too.

"It didn't happen," he stated.

A honk could be heard outside her house and she stood up to go to the window and see who it was. "There's a cab outside. Are you leaving so early?"

"What?" he stood up and walked up to the window. "What is he doing here so early?"

Meredith sighed and watched him going outside. She had no trouble recognizing Mark, when he rolled the window down and greeted Derek. Her heart sunk at the thought of having him gone again, and she couldn't even explain why she was feeling that way.

"I have to go," Derek sighed as he returned into the kitchen. "We need to stop by Mercy West first."

"How about our quick one?" she faked pouted.

Derek chuckled and kissed her on the cheek. "I will be back."

She sighed and smiled at him. "I'll be waiting."

She walked him to the door and as she opened it, rain started to pour badly outside.

"Wow!" Derek breathed out.

"I know," she giggled.

They turned and faced each other.

"I hate that I have to leave so sudden," he said sadly.

"Me, too," she sighed. "Do you have to?"

He put an around her waist and pulled her into his arms, softly kissing her. That melt her to the knees and it was getting harder to see him leave.

"Why is it so hard to let you go?" she asked, whispering.

He rested his forehead against hers and whispered back, "I don't know." He wrapped her into his arms then and held her hugged.

In that moment, both of them felt like they were in the right place and so, neither of them wanted to leave.

"Can we go now?" Mark shouted from the cab. "I wouldn't like to experience a floating car!"

"Ignore him," Derek whispered, not loosing his arms from her body. "He'll go away."

"With you," she looked up at him.

They pulled away from each other's arms, smiling at each other.

"Seriously!" Mark shouted from the car.

"Goodbye Derek," she found the courage to be the first one saying it. She did it, because she knew that lingering on her porch wouldn't do any good to any of them.

He brushed his lips against her cheek and stroked her hair. "Goodbye Meredith," he said back, but stayed where he was.

"You're not moving," she said after a while.

"Oh," he stirred. "I thought I was."

Meredith giggled. "You're cheesy. Go away now."

He kissed her once more and this time, she held him back too, looking for his lips.

"Seriously!" Mark shouted, again. "I am going to beat the driver!"

The driver pulled a long, angry honk.

Meredith and Derek started to laugh."He's right. Seriously, go. It's getting too weird for me."

And there he kissed her again and sprinted down the steps, running through the rain, to the cab. He jumped in and watched Meredith until the car was out of her driveway.

Meredith felt depressed that day; like someone dear had packed its bags and left her after many years spent together. She was distracted and so she wouldn't get any close to the O.R. This day sucked.

Her phone beeped in her pocket and her day was about to get better.

_'The flight got canceled. I'm comin' back'_

Meredith could not believe it. _'And Mark?'_ she texted back.

After a few seconds, a new message flicked on the screen. _'Already home'_

Meredith laughed, shaking her head. _'I'm at Seattle Grace.'_

_'I'll stop by for a quick one'_ he texted back. And after a few seconds, a new message. _'for a visit, I mean.'_

_'right! But ok.'_


End file.
